Franny and Zooey

Aside from being one of my favorite books to re-read, Franny and Zooey is my go-to when I’m frustrated with people and life. I flip through sections and peruse some of my more favorite moments — I just finished re-reading the entire book far too recently to restart that cycle. I’m usually too lazy to grab a pen, but sometimes I make the effort to underline my favorite points or quotes (see also: Nine Stories). Randomness, ahoy.

“I’m sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect….” – Franny

Franny made her voice stop. It sounded to her cavilling and bitchy, and she felt a wave of self-hatred that, quite literally, made her forehead begin to perspire again.

“Everything everybody does is so—I don’t know—not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and—sad-making.” – Franny

“He lives entirely in the past. But entirely.” – Bessie

“You know, I’m the only one in the family who has no problems,” Zooey said. “And you know why? Because any time I’m feeling blue, or puzzled, what I do, I just invite a few people to come visit me in the bathroom, and—well, we iron things out together, that’s all.”

“You think everybody does something for some peculiar reason. You don’t think anybody calls anybody calls anybody else up without having some nasty, selfish reason for it.” – Bessie

“If you don’t like someone in two minutes, you’re done with them forever.” – Bessie

“You’re old enough to at least try for some kind of kindness when you’re feeling mean.” – Bessie

“I don’t know what good it is to know so much and be smart as whips and all if it doesn’t make you happy.” – Bessie

“I’d like to be convinced—I’d love to be convinced—that you’re not using it as a substitute for doing whatever the hell your duty is in life, or just your daily duty.” – Zooey